The present invention relates to fiber optic cables generally, and, more particularly, to fiber optic cables having strength sections.
The background art includes cables that can be expensive, relatively stiff, and/or relatively large. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,651,081 discloses a composite cable with optical fibers housed in a loose tube that is contained within a plastic jacket. The jacket embeds insulated electrical conductors and optionally also metallic strength members and ripcords. The cable core loosely contains at least one optical fiber, one or more electrical conductors having an outer polymer insulating layer, one or more strength members, and a surrounding protective jacket. The protective jacket is formed of a polymer material that forms a distinct mechanically separate phase from the polymer material forming the insulation layer surrounding the respective electrical conductors. For example, the jacket can be made of a polymer material having a melting temperature lower than the melting temperature of the insulating material of the electrical conductors.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,467,138 discloses a generally flat composite cable construction with a messenger wire section and two transmission sections with a common jacket designed to be split along preformed lines of reduced thickness. One of the sections includes one or more optical fibers, exemplified by tight-buffered fibers directly embedded in the jacket. The flat construction includes two or more pairs of communication gage polyolefin insulated wires, twisted along their length, disposed in groups on opposite sides and parallel to a conductive steel wire. The steel wire may be galvanized or copper clad. All of the foregoing are embedded in a PVC jacket with the PVC material bonded to the steel wire but unbonded to the insulated communication gage wires. Weakening lines permit separation into central and side parts with an intact PVC jacket on each part. When used as telephone drop wire the steel wire provides both physical support and electrical conductivity for supplemental or primary grounding. The wire shape and size permits use of existing hardware for installation. Alternatively, a group of wires on at least one side is replaced either by a coaxial cable or by one or more polyolefin jacketed optical fiber conductors.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,729,628 discloses a fiber optic component between two strength members within a cable jacket. The optical component has an outer coating with a higher melting point than the material of the cable jacket. The cable is suitable for use as a fiber optic dropwire.
One aspect of the present invention includes a fiber optic cable having at least one optical component therein, a cable jacket surrounding the optical component, and strength sections defined between the optical component and the cable jacket, at least one of the strength sections comprising strength components defining a generally crescent-like cross section.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a fiber optic cable having at least one optical component therein, and a cable jacket surrounding the optical component. Strength sections are defined between the optical component and the cable jacket, the strength sections defining generally crescent-like cross sections. The generally crescent-like cross sections have respective generally concave and generally convex faces. The generally concave faces have general centers of arc that are preferably aligned with the longitudinal axis of the cable, and the generally convex faces have general centers of arc that are preferably offset from a longitudinal axis of the fiber optic cable. The convex faces subtend respective angles of about 45xc2x0 to about 160xc2x0. The cable jacket defining contact interfaces with the optical component, the contact interfaces being respectively disposed between the strength sections.